Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) — or the lack thereof — has caused retail giant Target to lose foot traffic from customers for the fourth consecutive month, and analysts believe the decline will continue, according to Fortune.
A report from the reputation analytics firm Caliber found that Target’s reputation score declined between February and May 2025, describing the data as “concerning.” The data showed that the retailer’s Governance Score decreased by 15.4%, from 65 out of 100 in January to 55 in May, when the question “Target is ethical in the way it conducts its business” was asked. During the same time range, the top 30 Fortune 500 companies fell, on average, only 1.6%, from 64 to 63.
Target landed slightly above the average and fell well below it.
After the company pushed back on its popular DEI initiatives following President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at federal agencies, Target began to lose foot traffic, albeit only slightly. Between February and April 2025, the decline reached -9%, -6.5% and -3.3%. But in May, the consumer decline reached 1.6%. Caliber’s founder and CEO, Shahar Silbershatz, admitted that companies have suffered from similar decline but have bounced back; however, for Target, “the rebounds are not as fully bounced back; they just go partway.” “This is concerning,” he said.
“There is a negative trend here. This is going to continue to snowball, and it’s a problem.”
The CEO noticed parallels between corporate decline and political affiliation, similar to those found in the Tesla brand. Amongst Democrats, Target’s Integrity score fell eight points, to 63, while the score for Republicans remained the same at 60. When Elon Musk began his tenure in Washington, D.C. as the director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the brand experienced a significant decline and protests across the country. “It was mostly Democrats who bought Teslas, not Republicans,” Silbershatz said.
“Now Democrats are a lot more negative about Tesla [and] Republicans are a lot more positive, but Republicans are not buying Teslas because they’re not interested in electric cars.”
The pushback from Black customers added to Target’s decline as civil rights leaders like Revs. Jamal Bryant and Al Sharpton called for a 40-day boycott, which began on March 5, showcasing their disappointment with the brand that Black customers have supported for years. “Black people spend upwards of $12 million a day, and so we would expect some loyalty, some decency and some camaraderie,” Bryant said at the start of the boycott.
“We’re asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community.”
Target’s CEO
Brian Cornell said the company isn’t blind to what’s going on, saying he’s “not satisfied” with its recent performance, according to The Street. He admitted that trying to be operational in this “exceptionally challenging environment” has been difficult, but the brand is working on ways to re-engage with customers.RELATED CONTENT: Elevating Your Excellence: The Unyielding Vision Of Pastor Jamal Bryant In The Fight For Economic And Civic Justice